Fifteen year old Severus was descending the stairs to the dungeons from the Entrance Hall when he saw a long shadow that had crept around with him on and off since he had first entered Charms that morning. It was him.
“Lupin,” Severus breathed, “Why are you following me like a dog? Do you think I'm stupid? You must have a motive in being my shadow half the day.”
“Only a shrewd dude like you would bother to notice,” Remus smiled at the darker wizard.
“Don't patronize me.” Snape snapped.
“I'm not trying to,” Remus said simply.
“Sinking to the level of Potter and Black, watch and sabotage and attack in a three-pronged formation?”
“How do you know about Prongs?” Remus asked, scratching his untidy brown hair. Severus looked at Lupin sideways. “Pardon me?”
“Nothing.”
"Nothing. That about sums up your attitude you have toward your prefect duties. At least you don't attack without provocation. In fact, you barely defend yourself. Are you sure you are a Gryffindor?” Severus' black eyes looked faintly amused.
“Actually, I've wondered that. I am not a coward, but I am patient and kind and hardworking. Perhaps Hufflepuff?” Remus pondered aloud.
Severus stared. His thin face was furrowed in an unusually curious way, curiosity without cunning.
“Have you been taking the mickey?” Severus asked quizzically, “Or are you simply an extreme oddity?”
“You're the oddity, Severus, not me. You are buried in hexes and follow us at night like a twitchy panther. I have to dissuade you somehow.” Remus cringed inside that he had called Snape a 'twitchy panther'.
“And you think insulting me, calling me an oddity and by my first name when you know I hate it, and sticking me with some Dark wizard tag is going to convince me that you're not a mangy wolf? I look for proof. I can't let the other students suffer because of your presence here.”
Remus Lupin looked stricken, and closed his eyes. “Suffer because of me?” he asked in a whisper. “That's what you're after? Driving me away?”
“You drove me away long ago, Lupin. Happy to return the favour.” Severus' eyes were slits. Lupin's brown eyes didn't shine with tears. They merely looked confused.
“Pardon? I don't...understand.” Lupin muttered.
“The playground near Spinner's End at Churchill Primary? You, ten years old? I just beat a girl in a game of chess?”>/p>
Remus nodded slowly. “The day I first met Lily.”
“When you took her by the hand and took her away to play with you and you put both her hands in yours and said, “Some boys are kinder than other boys?” Severus grimaced.
“Do you remember every moment of your life, Severus?” Remus asked incredulously. Severus glared at the use of his given name. Remus' brown eyes widened. “Is it my fault? She liked me. She likes you now. The reason is jealousy. I expected something less ridiculous.”
“She still likes you. I want you out of the way. And I'll find the chance to prove my werewolf theory. You had better not think of Lily as a she-wolf.”
Remus stood frozen with a mixture of emotions on his face, none clear.
Severus turned his shoulder, gave Remus a foul look, and said with his face on an angle, “Hufflepuff would be an improvement.”